Davids Heinous Sin, Hearty Repentance, Heavy Punishment, Part 2
Davids hearty Repentance.
1
THE tongue of guiltlesse blood is never ti'd
In the earth's month, & though the greedy ground
Her gaping crannies quickly did provide,
To drinke the liquor of Vriah's wound,
Yet it with moanes, be scattered the skies,
And the revoicing Eccho, with replies,
Did descant on the playn song of the cries.
2
Hereat the Lord, perceiving how the field,
Hee sow'd with grace, and compast with an heape,
Of many mercies, store of sinnes did yeild,
Where he expected store of thankes to reape,
With flames of anger, furnace-like he burn'd
For patience long despis'd, and lewdly spurn'd
Is at the length to raging fury turn'd.
3
Then all the Creatures, mustered their traine,
From Angells vntounto worms, the biinde did see
Their Lord disgrac't, whose honour to maintaine
Things wanting life, most liuely seeme to be;
R…fusing all to serve Man, that refus'd:
To serve his God, all striving to be us'd,
To punish him, his maker …hat a bus'd:
4
Please it your Highnes, for to giuegive me leave,
Il'e scorch the wretch to cinder…, said the Fire;
Send me, said Aire, him Il'e of …reath bereave;
No, quoth the, earnest Water, I desire
His soylie sinnes with del…ges to scoure;
Nay, let my Lord quoth Earth; imploy my pow…
With yawning chapps, I will him quick deuou…
5
Soone with a word, the Lord appeas'd this strife,
Injoyning silence, till he did vnfold
That precious volume, cald The booke of life,
Which the the Printer, priuiledg'd of old,
Containing those he freely did imbrace,
Nor ever would I wish an higher grace,
Than in this Booke to have the lowest place.
6
Within this Booke, hee sought for Davids name,
Which having found, he prof…ered to blot,
(And David surely well deserv'd the same,
That did his nature so with sinne bespot,
Though none are blotted out, but such as never
Were written in, nothing Gods love can sever,
Once written there, are written there for ever.)
7
Strait from his throne, the Prince of peace arose,
And with embraces did his Father binde,
Imprisoning his armes, he did so close,
(As loving … on an oake did winde,
And with her curling flexures it betraile)
His father glad, to finde his force to fayle,
Strugled, as one not willing to prevaile.
8
Thus then began the Spotlesse lambe to speake,
(One wo…d of whom, would rend the sturdy rocke;
Make …-scorning Adamant to breake,
And vntounto …, perswade the sensles stocke,
Y…a God hims…f…, that knowes not to repent,
Is made by his petitions, penitent,
Hi… …stice made, with Mercy to relent)
9
Why doth my Fathers fury burne so fierce?
…hall Persian lawes vnalterable stand?
And shall my Lord decree, and then reverse,
…nact, and then repeale, and countermand?
Tender thy credit, gracious God, I crave,
And kill not him, thou didst conclude to save,
Can these hands blot, what these hands did ingrave?
10.
Hath not thy wisdome, from eternity,
Before the worlds foundation first was lay'd,
…ecree'd, the due time once expir'd, that I
…hould Flesh become, and Man borne of a Maide?
To live in poverty, and dye with pa…ne,
That so thy Sonne, for sinners vilely slaine,
Might make vile Sinners b…e thy Sonnes againe.
11.
Let me, oh let me, thy feirce wrath asswage,
And for this sinner, begg a full di…charge,
What though hee justly doth prouoke thy rage?
Thy Iustice I will satis…ie at large.
If that the Lord of life must murder'd bee,
Let …, this murd'rer may goe free,
My Meritts cast on him, his Sinnes on me.
12.
Thus speaking, from his fragrant cloaths there went
A pleasant breath, whose odour did excell,
Myrrh…, Al…s, and Cassia for sent,
… all perfum'd his Father with the smell,
Whereat his smoothed face most sweetly smil'd,
And hugging in his arms, his dearest child,
Return'd these welcome words, with voyce … mild…
13
Who can so pleasing violence withstand?
Thy crauing, is the hauing a request,
…uch mild intreaties, doe my heart command,
The 'mends is made, and pacifi'd I rest:
As far as Earth, from Heaven doe distant lye,
As Ea…t is parted from the Westerne skye,
So far his sinnes, are sever'd from mine eye.
14
…ereat the heavenly Quire, lift vp their voyce,
Angells and Saints imparadis'd combine,
VponUpon their golden Violls, to rejoyce,
…o rayse the prayse of the coelestiall Trine,
All in their so…gs a sacred strife exprest,
Which should sing better, and surpasse the rest,
All did surpasse themselves, and sang the best.
15.
Then said the Fire, my fury I recant,
Life-hatching warmth, I will …or him provide:
I… Davids breathlesse lungs do chance to pant,
Said Aire, Il'e fanne them with a windy tide:
With moisture, Il'e said Water, quench his heat,
And I his hunger, quoth the Earth, with meat,
Of marrow, fatnesse, and the flower of Wheat.
16
Thus when a Lord, long buried in disgrace,
A King …o former favor doth restore,
With all respect the Court doth him embrace,
Fawning as fast, as they did flowte before:
Whose smiles, or frownes, are but the bare reflex…
Of the Kings face, and like to this direction,
Where hee affects, they settle their affection.
17
PLaine-dealing Natha…, prese…tly was sent:
Nathan, than whom, was none more skil'd to lanch
… festred soule, and with a se…rching tent,
… sound the sore; more cunning none to stanch
A bleeding-hearted sinner, nor more kinde,
With swadling cloaths of comfort, for to binde
Vnjoynted members, of a troubled minde.
18
… did not flow with wealth, which envye breeds,
…or yet was he with pe…ury opprest;
…ant is the cause, from which co…mpt proceeds:
… meanes were in the meane, and that's the best.
High hills are parcht with h…te, or hid with snow,
And humble dales, soone drown'd, that lie too low,
Whilst happy graine, on hanging hills doth grow.
19.
For sundry duties, he did dayes devide,
Making exchange of worke, his recreation,
For prayer, he set the precious morne aside,
The midday he bequeath'd to meditation:
Sweete sacred stories, he reserv'd for night▪
To reade of Moses meeknes, Sampsons might,
These were his joy, these on…ly his delight.
20.
But now dispensing with his dayly taske,
To court he comes, and wisely did invent,
VnderUnder a parable, his minde to maske,
Seeming to me…ne nought lesse, than what he meant▪
And Lapwing-like, round fluttering a while,
With … praeface and a witty wile,
Hee made … King himselfe for to beguile,
21
Thus he that thought all mortall men to cheate,
And with false shewes, his secret sinnes to shade,
Was couzned by the innocent deceite,
Of one plaine Prophet, and directly made,
As he a Iudge sate on the bench, to stand,
At barr a prisoner, holding*Thou art the man. up his hand,
*The man that hath done this thing shal dye.But first condemned by his owne command.
22
Go… fond affectors of a flanting straine,
Whose sermons strike at sinnes with slenting blowes,
Give me the man that's power…ull and plaine,
The Monste… Vice, vnmasked to expose:
Such Preachers doe the soule, and marrow part,
And cause the guilty conscience to smart,
Such please no itching eares, but peirce the heart.
23.
This made King Davids marble minde to melt,
And to the former temper to returne,
…hawing his frozen breast, when as he felt
The lively sparks of grace therein to burne,
Which vnderunder ashes cold, were choakt before;
And now hee weeps, and wayles, and sighs full sore,
Though sure such sorrow, did his joy restore.
24.
So have I seene one slumber'd in a swound,
Whose sullen soule into his heart did hye,
His pensive frien'ds, soone heave him from the ground▪
And to his face life-water doe apply:
At length, a long-expected sigh doth strive
To bring the wellcome newes, the man's alive,
Whose soule at last, doth in each part ariue.
25
…hen to his Harpe, he did himselfe betake,
…His tongue-tide harpe, long growne out of request,)
…nd next to this his glory must awake,
…he member he of all accounted best:
Then with those hands, which hee for griefe did wring,
Hee also lightly strikes the warbling string,
And makes one voice serve both to sob and sing.
26
…hat heavenly voyce to heare, I more desire,
…han Syren's sweetest songs, than musicke made
…y Philomele chiefe of the winged quire;
Or him, whose Layes so pleasing, did perswade
Stones for to lack…y, when he went before,
Or that brave harper, whom unto the shore,
His hackny Dolphin safely did restore.